Anchoring of Rare-Earth-Based Single-Molecule Magnets on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Svetlana Kyatskaya , José R. Galan-Mascaros , Lapo Bogani (1) , Frank Hennrich , Manfred Kappes , Wolfgang Wernsdorfer (2) , Mario Ruben (3)

1 1. Physikalisches Institut [Stuttgart]
2 NEEL - QuantECA - Circuits électroniques quantiques Alpes
3 KIT - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

A new heteroleptic bis(phthalocyaninato)terbium(III) complex 1, bearing a pyrenyl group, exhibits temperature and frequency dependence of ac magnetic susceptibility, typical of single-molecule magnets. The complex was successfully attached to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using pi-pi interactions, yielding a 1-SWNT conjugate. The supramolecular grafting of 1 to SWNTs was proven qualitatively and quantitatively by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, emission spectroscopy, and atomic force spectroscopy. Giving a clear magnetic fingerprint, the anisotropy energy barrier and the magnetic relaxation time of the 1-SWNT conjugate are both increased in comparison with the pure crystalline compound 1, likely due to the suppression of intermolecular interactions. The obtained results propose the 1-SWNT conjugate as a promising constituent unit in magnetic single-molecule measurements using molecular spintronics devices.

Domaines: Physique [physics]

Svetlana Kyatskaya, José R. Galan-Mascaros, Lapo Bogani, Frank Hennrich, Manfred Kappes, et al.. Anchoring of Rare-Earth-Based Single-Molecule Magnets on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2009, 131 (42), pp.15143-15151. ⟨10.1021/ja906165e⟩. ⟨hal-00981980⟩